The problem with releasing an album at this time of year is that, all too often, gems fall between the cracks of Christmas songs, greatest hits collections and the ubiquitous LadBaby Christmas song.
Leland Whitty’s album may be consigned to that fate, but the Canadian musician’s debut solo outing is a palate-cleansing antidote to the sugary, syrupy excesses of the festive season.
As a member of Toronto experimentalists BADBADNOTGOOD, Whitty playfully tests the boundaries of jazz, seductively working other genres into that band’s musical DNA. His solo material is just as compelling, influenced by the brace of soundtracks he has composed in recent years.
The impact of that work can be heard on the cinematic shimmer of Awake or scene-setting opener Svalbard, which is equal parts icy and intimate. The loose, improvised feel of Glass Moon, incorporating an enjoyably twangy thrum of double bass, clarinet and saxophone, is reminiscent of both Air and Kamasi Washington.
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The title track and Windows are more traditionally jazz-like, but the Air comparison crops up again on Silver Rain, a woozy, poppy, chic affair that feels slightly unhinged at times.
In Circles changes tack yet again, introducing the smothered ping of synthesiser set against softly brushed percussion and quivering strings.
For an instrumental album that’s just seven tracks long, Anyhow packs a hell of a punch despite its casual title and unassuming nature. lelandwhitty.bandcamp.com
